Enemy

"Enemy" is what might happen if someone let Terrence Malick make a "Twilight Zone" episode, with a quick rewrite by David Cronenberg.

There are body doubles, moody characters, tiresome sex; and pretty much everything on screen is bleached in yellow. The whole production looks and feels like the too-distant memory you might have while looking at an old Polaroid. And in case you don't realize this is an indie film, there's an occasional cameo from an apropos-of-nothing giant spider.

If that sounds too weird for a fun night out at the theater, follow your instincts. Others will appreciate a memorable erotic thriller from a bold voice in American independent cinema.

Denis Villeneuve received more attention for last year's missing-children drama "Prisoners," a longer and weightier film with a huge Hollywood cast and Oscar aspirations upon its release. The director's talent could be seen with some fantastic camera work and excellent pacing, but the film fell apart with contrived plot turns and a borderline ridiculous ending. "Enemy" is much more consistent and personal.

Jake Gyllenhaal is Adam, a professor whose plodding life becomes bizarre when he watches a movie and sees an actor who appears to be an exact clone. After some awkward sleuthing by Adam, they begin an unhealthy relationship. Gyllenhaal deftly plays both men, who are distinct in disposition, if not appearance.

This concept has been explored in comedies before. Villeneuve, building on the framework of the Jose Saramago novel "The Double," takes a much more unnerving approach. Selfish and id-driven decisions are coupled with surreal turns. Is Adam going crazy? Is it all a dream? What is the relationship between these two men? And what's up with all the web imagery?

If you're expecting tidy answers to most or all of these questions, again, steer clear of the art house where this film is playing. Then again, you'll be missing out on one of the more compelling visual freak-outs since "Jacob's Ladder." Be sure to check your popcorn for spiders when it's over.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicle’s pop culture critic and host of the podcast The Big Event. The Bay Area native has worked at The Chronicle since 2000, and was a Chronicle paperboy from 1982 to 1984. He reviews movies, television and comedy, covers entertainment, creates multimedia projects and writes the Our San Francisco local history column. The Big Event is recorded in The Chronicle’s basement archive. Hartlaub lives in Alameda.